Holiday shopping etiquette…

1. If you have a premium parking spot, please don’t get in your car, put it in reverse, then get on your phone. As I patiently wait for what seems like 20 minutes, the second I move on, you pull out.

2. Don’t talk on your phone while shopping, I really don’t want to hear about your doctor appointment or Billy’s grades. It is really just rude and it can wait.

3. Mom and dad, don’t take your four small kids grocery shopping on a busy Saturday afternoon. This is not quality family time for them or for me.

4. Don’t park your cart on one side of the aisle and then stand on the other side, then give me a dirty look when I try to get by.

5. If you are shopping on a busy Saturday, don’t get grouchy with the entire universe because it is busy. Get real and “pack your patience.”

6. Be nice to the cashiers; it is not their fault that the Cheetos are more expensive here than the other store, they don’t set the prices. I would suggest you go to the other store for your Cheetos.

7. Be kind to your fellow shoppers; a small gesture or a smile can go far and maybe make someone’s day. Once, while shopping on a busy Saturday, a gal and I came up to the same cashier at the same time; she suggested we do “rock, paper, scissors” to see who went first – that made my day and I got to go first.

8. The self-checkout line is intended for people with a few items, not someone buying their entire monthly bill of groceries.

These are just a few thoughts to think about and hopefully make your day and mine a little calmer and, if possible, more enjoyable. Merry Christmas to you and yours.